5 Times Felicity Comes To Oliver's Rescue
by Redbutterfly1010
Summary: 5 times that Felicity bails Oliver out of a pickle. Some are more serious than others!
1. The Ex Interference

**So here's the first little drabble in this series! This one is "The Ex Interference" where Felicity comes to Oliver's rescue when he is face to face with an ex fling of his! As always, reviews are very much appreciated!**

Oliver tipped his glass of champagne, draining the last of the bubbly liquid before placing the empty chute on a passing server's plate. Adjusting his bow tie slightly, he scanned the room, taking in the elegant gowns, expensive hors d'oeuvre and intricate décor of another Queen Consolidated charity event. He had hoped to weasel his way out of this one, but with his mother just having been released from prison, the family needed to show a united front. So once again, Oliver plastered on his charming Queen smile and acted like he belonged.

Peering into the sea of dresses, a flash of color caught his eye amongst the black cocktail attire. He smiled to himself, knowing it could only belong to one person. Only one person would be bold enough to wear a bright dress to a cocktail charity function. Only one person could stand out in a crowd of the most beautiful and rich in Starling. There was only one person who could always bring him back from the edge of his darkness, and that was the one and only Felicity Smoak.

He tracked her movements from a distance, watching as she mingled with guests, laughing easily at their stupid jokes. For someone who always insisted she didn't belong in this part of his life, Felicity seemed to fit in quite well. Even though he knew how uncomfortable these events made her, he also knew how much it meant to her to always be invited. He could see the wariness in her eyes when he had invited her, the unspoken question there about whether she would be seen for what she really was, just a simple IT tech who didn't belong, but as he watched her he could see the easy sway of her hips and the relaxed posture of her shoulders. She was much too good to be surrounded by inconsiderate, rich snobs and yet she fought so hard to belong in this scene because it was something Oliver asked of her.

Oliver smoothed his hands down his jacket, preparing himself to tell Felicity how beautiful she looked when a familiar face in front of him had him halting in his tracks.

"Ollie?" the woman screeched as she rushed towards him. "It's so good to see you!"

"You too," Oliver smiled, all the while racking his brain for the woman's name. He silently cursed himself for his bachelor ways when he was younger. While her face was familiar, he couldn't seem to place her. He watched as her head tilted to the side slightly, a slow grin spreading across her face.

"It's Melissa Harvy. Tommy introduced us a few years back. It was before your little island excursion though, so I don't take offense to you not remembering."

"Melissa, of course. Yes I remember you now. How are you?" Oliver did remember that night, although he wished he could have forgotten it. It was just another drunken one night stand of his youth.

"Oh nothing new here" Melissa said as she stepped closer to him. Oliver could smell the alcohol on her breath and recognized the glint in her eye. "You know, I've been reading about all the hard work you've been doing for Queen Consolidated. How could you possibly have any time for fun with all you have going on?" Melissa's hands were now on his chest, tracing imaginary patterns. "We had such a fun night together when we met, do you remember?"

Oliver cleared his throat, trying to reign in his instinct to turn and run away as fast as he could. The old Oliver Queen would never run from a beautiful woman trying to seduce him, he told himself. "Yes, it was a good night."

Melissa smiled up at him as she crept closer, her body now almost flush against his. "Why don't we get out of here? All work and no play makes Oliver Queen a very dull boy." she whispered.

A throat clearing behind him had him spinning so quickly that Melissa almost topped to the floor.

"There you are!" Felicity said as she waltzed up next to him. Oliver couldn't help but notice the way the material of her dress clung to her hips. "I've been looking all over for you." Felicity rose to her tip toes and pressed a small kiss to his cheek. She pulled back slightly and winked, before turning towards a very confused Melissa.

"And you are?" Melissa said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Melissa, this is my.."

"Felicity Smoak." Felicity said with a smile. "Nice to meet you Melissa. I'm so sorry to intrude, but Oliver and I really must be going now." She looped her arm through his and tugged gently.

"Well, maybe some other time then Oliver. I'd love to catch up with you." Melissa said, the seductive grin from earlier once again spreading across her face. Felicity didn't miss it.

"Oliver is really a busy man, Melissa. I tend to keep his schedule pretty preoccupied. Sorry, but I don't think he'll be free any time soon." Oliver stood back and watched the two women facing off, completely amazed and utterly baffled by what was happening. He was just about to speak up when Felicity's fingers intertwined with his. He caught the mischievous smile on her lips and followed her pull towards the entry way without so much as a glance back at Melissa.

Once they were out of sight Felicity released his hand before hitching forward in a fit of laughter.

"Did you see her face?" she said through deep inhales, trying to find her breath. Oliver just smiled at her, now fully understanding what Felicity had been doing.

"You just pretended to be my girlfriend," Oliver stated simply.

Felicity shot him an amused glance. "Well technically, she inferred that I was your girlfriend. I never gave myself that title. And you kind of looked like you were drowning there, so I decided to help a teammate out. What is it with you and brunette bimbos by the way? Talk about having a type. Not that you're that way anymore. Obviously you've changed, I just meant back in the day, you know before you went to that island and had your brain rewired. Not that you're brain is weird or anything, I just mean you've, you know, changed." Felicity bit her bottom lip, stopping herself from digging an even deeper hole.

"Well, thank you." Oliver said with a small smile. He stepped forward slightly, entering into Felicity's space. He could smell the light scent of her shampoo and realized that vanilla had just become his favorite new smell. "What can I do to repay you?"

"Oh I can think of a few ways," Felicity said, before she flushed and realized what she had insinuated. "I mean, I'll get back to you on that."

Oliver smiled before reaching a hand up to brush her hair behind her shoulder, exposing her naked neck. His mouth went dry at the sight. "Well, I'm ready and willing whenever, so you just let me know."

He couldn't of missed the glint of desire in her eyes if he tried.


	2. The Cover Story

**Holy amazeballs people. The response I have gotten to this little story of mine has been unreal! You guys sure do know how to make a girl feel special. Special thanks to ****quisinart4**** for the edits on the 1st drabble!** **Here's the 2nd installment in the series, with Felicity rescuing Oliver by coming up with a cover story!**

Oliver raced through the cold night on his motorcycle. He had just finished delivering another one of Starling City's escaped criminals to Officer Lance, but if he didn't hurry he knew that he would be the one left bound and gagged in a closet.

Tonight was the anniversary bash at Verdant, celebrating the club's opening a year ago. Thea had taken full charge of the event, planning it in its entirety. She had also informed Oliver that she had planned on murdering him in his sleep if he didn't make an appearance at his own club's celebration party. Sliding to a stop at the back of the club, Oliver gently coaxed his body off his bike and hobbled into the empty lair. Digg had taken off as soon as the mission was over, going home to spend some much need alone time with Layla. Felicity on the other hand had bowed out without much of an explanation. All she had said over the comms was that she had plans. Her failure to elaborate ignited something in Oliver that he couldn't quite place, but he pushed it from his mind to focus on the task at hand – fixing his billionaire playboy smile in place.

Gingerly peeling off his leathers, Oliver assessed the damage to his body. The lacerations he'd earned during the fight were nothing major and could be easily ignored, but the throbbing in his ankle was going to be more difficult to hide. He and the perpetrator had tumbled down a flight of stairs in the abandoned factory he was hiding out in, and somehow Oliver had managed to twist his ankle under himself during the fall. The injured ankle was already swollen, but recognizing he had no time to ice it, Oliver simply bandaged it up and headed up stairs.

Oliver smiled to himself as he entered the club. Thea had outdone herself and then some. The music pulsed along with the lights and the entire club was filled with the gentle sway of bodies bobbing around. Gritting his teeth, Oliver weaved his way through the crowd as gingerly as he could to the bar where he knew his sister would most likely be waiting. Upon seeing him Thea leapt from her seat next to Roy.

"Ollie!" Thea said as she wrapped her arms around her brother. "I'm so glad you showed up. I really didn't want to have to smother you in your sleep."

Oliver squeezed her gently. "After surviving alone on an island for 5 years I couldn't very well have my death come as a result of pissing off my little sister." Thea smacked his arm playfully and rolled her eyes as she sat back in her seat next to Roy.

"This place looks great Thea," Oliver said as he gestured to the club.

"Thanks Ollie. Roy was a big help." Thea said as she nudged Roy. Roy's eyes hesitantly shot to Oliver's, whose jaw had tightened just a bit.

"I'm glad you had some help." Oliver said, tipping his head slightly to Roy who smiled back nervously.

"I was glad to help," he said.

Thea's eyes shot from her brother to Roy, an amused smile crossing her face. "Alright alright, enough intense stares you two. Hey Ollie, isn't that your assistant?"

Oliver spun to the direction in which Thea was pointing, completely forgetting about his injury. The quick movement was too much for his ankle and it almost completely buckled underneath him. He stumbled a bit to regain his balance, grimacing and inhaling deeply to try to reign in the pain.

"Ollie, oh my god are you alright?" Thea screeched as she bent down to help him straighten himself up. She noticed his inability to put any pressure on his right ankle and shot him a questioning look.

Oliver racked his brain for an excuse, but it was hard to find one when he realized that he was supposed to be either at Queen Consolidated or walking the floors at Verdant, none of which would cause him to injure his ankle.

"Oh god I knew I shouldn't of let you talk your way out of getting that x-rayed." Oliver glanced up to find Felicity reaching for him with concern in her eyes. He couldn't help but notice that she had changed out of her earlier attire and into a short red dress that seemed to be impossibly made for her. The hemline cut just to her mid-thigh and paired with the black booties she had on, seemed to transform her legs into the most attractive things he had ever seen. He watched a flush slowly creep into her cheeks when it registered to her that Oliver was gaping in awe of her.

"X-rays?" Thea quipped, shooting Felicity a look.

"Oliver tripped helping me bring some boxes down to the IT department today. Someone apparently forgot to tuck their computer wires away – which I will be addressing first thing Monday morning, and Oliver got tangled in them and twisted his ankle. I tried to get him to go to the hospital but he said he was fine." Felicity finished, giving him a quick smile.

"You and your ego Ollie." Thea sighed, shaking her head slightly.

"It's really just a sprain Thea I promise. I just haven't had time to ice it at all today." The realization that Felicity was in his club, looking incredibly sexy, hit him at once and he turned to her.

"How come you didn't tell me you were coming tonight?" he asked. What he really wanted to know is how she always seemed to show up just in time to save his ass, but he kept that question to himself.

"Well, Thea emailed me the invite earlier today. I thought it might be nice to get out of the server room for once. Not saying that you're a slave driver or anything, I just mean that I work a lot. Which isn't your fault, I could leave if I wanted to, I just have this thing about getting all my work done."

Thea couldn't help but laugh. "Honestly Ollie, I have no idea why you hide this girl away all the time. She's hilarious."

Felicity flushed, shifting from one gorgeous leg to the other.

"I'll try better not to," Oliver said, flashing Felicity a smile. "Speedy would you mind if Felicity helped me up to my office so that I could ice this for a bit?"

Thea nodded. "Of course. Just don't get too distracted up there. There's a Verdant birthday cake to cut later!" she winked at him before grabbing Roy by the hand and hauling him on to the dance floor. Oliver cringed as he watched Roy's hands slide down to Thea's hips.

A warm hand sliding across his back tore his eyes from the dance floor. He glanced down to see Felicity banding her arm around his back, a bucket of ice in her hand that she must have snatched off the bar while he was glaring at Roy and Thea dancing.

"How's your ankle? The truth please, don't forget that I can see through your pathetic lies."

Oliver let Felicity lead him through the club to his office. He reveled in the way her nails dug in slightly to the flesh on his side and he found himself leaning in to her more than he needed to. She led him to the couch, releasing her hold on him so he could collapse onto it.

"It really is just a sprain Felicity." He sat up so that he could prop his bad ankle on the table. Felicity sat on the table next to his foot, not speaking as she slowly unwrapped the bandage that Oliver had applied earlier. Stuffing a few ice cubes into the bandage, she wrapped it back around Oliver's ankle gently.

"This will have to do until we get you home. I mean, until you get you home. I was going to offer to drive you since Digg left, but now that I think about it Thea can take you. Unless she came with Roy. Well, you can call a driver I'm sure."

Oliver placed a hand on hers, stopping her from her babbling. "Thank you. Not just for the ice but for the excuse with Thea."

Felicity smiled. "Yes, well you suck at cover stories."

"So, why didn't you tell me you were coming tonight?" Oliver asked. He still hadn't let go of her hand and he could see the tension beginning to find its way to her body. He released her reluctantly.

"Well, I wasn't going to, but then I heard the fall over the comms and I knew you weren't going to take the time to properly take care of your injury, so I figured I would come by and drag you into the lair if I had to so that you could get patched up. This way was much easier though, so thanks for that."

"You're amazing" Oliver said, a bit more breathy than he had intended. Felicity just shrugged, her hands playing with the hem of her dress. Oliver thought back to Thea's words from earlier and grasped both of her hands in his.

"Hey you don't think I'm trying to hide you do you?" Blue eyes lifted to his and he watched a sad smile cross Felicity's face.

"I know why we have to keep our distance Oliver. I mean, I'm your assistant after all. It would look weird if I was around you all of the time, so really, its ok."

Oliver considered Felicity's words. They were facts, every bit of truth, but he didn't like it. Since his return, Felicity had become more than a teammate or an assistant. She wasn't just his IT girl, helping him solve some mystery whenever he called. She was now firmly planted in his life, even if it was the life that he kept hidden. She was part of the real Oliver, not the fake one that everyone else knew. He struggled internally with his growing feelings for her, but he was through keeping her in the shadows. She deserved to be a part of the life he lead out in the open, not just a stowaway in his club's basement.

"I don't want you to just be my assistant." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Oliver watched Felicity's eyes widen, her mouth slightly dropping open. He tightened his grip on her hands, hoping she caught the underlying meaning to his words.

**Slow burrrrrrrn! It's the name of the game people. By the way, these drabbles do connect, so look for this confession to pick up in the next chapter! Thanks again for all the support!**


	3. The Cover Kiss

**Ok, so I'm the worst ever. So sorry for being so slow with the updates! Tis the season to be stressed out and super busy, am I right? Ok, so here's the 3****rd**** chapter, this one all about the cover kiss. I know the show did something like this already, but I decided to ramp it up a notch! And seeing as how we (finally!) got an Olicity hug, I'm thinking an Olicity kiss should be in the works sometime soon. I think I would die on the spot if we got a forehead kiss, just saying….**

Felicity shifted uncomfortably next to Diggle. "Where is he?" she hissed at him, all the while maintaining her smile as future possible investors entered the private suite.

Today's meeting came at a request of a few interested investment parties, something that Felicity was quite proud of Oliver for. He had been working so hard to revamp the image of Queen Consolidated after the Glades fell, and this meeting was proof that his efforts weren't futile. The meeting was being held after the new musical that had opened in Starling just a week ago, of which one of the investor's daughters was the lead role. The invitation to watch the musical before the meeting had taken Felicity pleasantly by surprise. She had planned on seeing the musical by herself later that week, and was glad to be able to avoid the embarrassment of going alone. Not to mention, watching the musical from a private suite was much better than the back row seats she could afford.

Her smile remained plastered to her face all the while her eyes never stopped their fervent scanning of the entrance, searching for the extremely late Oliver Queen.

"There was an emergency on the way here. He called to say he was on his way. He should be here any minute now."

Felicity shot Diggle a look. "You let him go out alone?"

"Relax Felicity," Digg said as he placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Remember, he handled himself just fine without us in the beginning."

Felicity scoffed at him under her breath. Like she needed to be reminded that Oliver Queen didn't need her. She was acutely aware of that fact. Or at least, she had thought it was a fact, the bittersweet truth, up until last week. She had replayed Oliver's words to her the night of the Verdant party over and over in her mind until she was sure they were making her crazy. She had thought of every possible insinuation coupled with every possible outcome of that insinuation. Why couldn't Thea had barged in 5 minutes later? No, of course that damn cake had to be cut right after Oliver had told her that he wanted her to be more than his assistant.

Felicity knew she had a wild imagination. Her love of sci-fi thrillers coupled with hours spent staring at computer screens often caused her eyes to play tricks on her. It was beyond her to imagine the subtle touches that had increased between her and Oliver though. His hand somehow always seemed to find her elbow or her shoulder when he was speaking. He had started to lean in closer to her when they spoke, so close that Felicity had begun sucking on mints constantly in fear that he would catch what she had for lunch on her breath. She had even caught him staring at her through the windowed walls of his office at Queen Consolidated in a way that immediately had a flush creeping up her chest and neck into her cheeks. Her imagination was wild, but not even her whacked out brain could imagine circumstances like those.

It wasn't lost on Felicity that things had changed between them. Even if she had imagined the touches and the glances, the way he spoke to her was enough to send her heart into rapid palpitations. His voice would lower when he was speaking to her, almost as if his words were meant only for her ears. A normal conversation between them now seemed so intimate, with his low voice and his close proximity. Felicity found herself more than once fixed on his lips as he spoke, only to be jolted from her reverie when his hand would find her elbow.

As if thinking of him had caused him to materialize, Oliver bounded up the steps to the concert hall. Felicity scanned his body for any sign of injury, paying close attention to any grimace or wince that should appear on his face. He strode through the hallway towards her and Diggle without a hitch, allowing Felicity to release the breath she didn't realize she was holding. An investor stopped Oliver's trek to them, and he gave her a quick smile before he turned his complete attention to the man.

Felicity watched as Oliver turned on the charm. She was always amazed at how seamlessly he could go from Arrow to CEO. Only someone who knew him well could see the exasperated sigh he'd let out before slipping into another alter ego. It had surprised her at first that he had been able to fool Moira and Thea for this long, but the truth was that neither of those two knew him well enough to notice. To them, he was just Ollie.

Felicity sighed quietly to herself. It saddened her that those Oliver loved and worked so hard to protect couldn't know the truth. It didn't seem fair that he had to sacrifice himself day after day, only to be viewed by the world as a spoiled billionaire. If only they knew the truth, they could see what she had seen since day one. Oliver Queen was a hero.

An all too familiar glint on Oliver's right cheekbone suddenly caught Felicity's attention.

"Is that…?" she heard Diggle say, but she was already flying across the hallway toward Oliver.

"Mr. Queen!" she said as she walked over. Both the investor and Oliver turned to look at her, bringing the offending green mark out of sight of the other man. Recognizing that she had no other option, she rose on to her toes and quickly pressed her lips to Oliver's cheekbone, right across the left over paint. She stepped back in relief when she saw her red lip print securely covering the damning green evidence. She sucked in a breath when she noticed the darkened look of Oliver's eyes

"Apparently this lipstick isn't as infallible as was advertised." she said with a smile as she dug out a makeup wipe from her purse, dapping at Oliver's cheek. "Much better. I just wanted to thank you for sending those flower to my mother. They really brightened up that hospital room as well as her spirits."

A myriad of emotions flashed across Oliver's face before he reined them in. By now he knew Felicity's diversion tactics like the back of his hand, but the feel of her warm lips against his cheek had thrown him off guard. Oliver smiled at her hesitantly. "Tell her she can repay me by getting back on her feet soon."

The forgotten investor cleared his throat. "It's nice to know that you care as much about your employee's lives as you do your family's company. Consider me impressed Mr. Queen." The man nodded to Oliver and then walked into the concert hall.

Felicity exhaled as Digg approached the pair. "That was some save Felicity," he said with a wink. Felicity blushed as she tossed the used makeup wipe back into her clutch.

"Can someone please explain to me what just happened?" Felicity turned to see Oliver's utterly confused expression and couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

Digg just shook his head. "You still had part of your costume on."

"I didn't mean to make you look bad in front of a possible investor, but I didn't have many options. Actually, I think I made him like you more, so maybe it was a good thing. I'm surprised he didn't say anything about the paint though, it's not like it's hard to notice. Although maybe I'm just used to it, since I see it on you all the time. Not that I was staring at your face or anything, I was just looking at you. Not, in that way, I was just watching your conversation. Oh my gosh never mind." Felicity said, her palm coming to her forehead as she squeezed her eyes shut to regain her composure.

Oliver placed his hand on the small of her back and pushed her forward towards the suite, leaving Diggle by the door as security. The suite was dark by the time they had entered, with the show curtains just beginning to rise. Felicity sat forward in her seat and Oliver sat back with a bemused smile on his face as the light from the stage ignited Felicity's features.

"The show is on the stage Mr. Queen," she whispered to him, catching his staring out of the corner of her eye. Oliver's hand on her knee had her head snapping in his direction.

"Thank you," he whispered as he leaned towards her. His breath ghosted over Felicity's ear, sending chills down the length of her body. Felicity was certain that Oliver could feel the goose bumps on her knee and the small smile that appeared on his face confirmed it.

"You're lucky I carry those makeup wipes in my purse. Otherwise, you would have had to go through your meeting with Fire Engine Red lip prints on your cheek."

"I can think of worse things," Oliver said, giving Felicity's knee a squeeze and effectively rendering her speechless. It wasn't until after the curtain fell and the lights came back on that Felicity realized Oliver's hand had been on her knee the entire time.

**As you can see, things are slowly but surely progressing! I wanted to write a few chapters from Felicity's perspective, so I think the next one will be from hers as well. Stay tuned for what's coming next, things are about to get intense! Coming up: Felicity sacrifices herself to save Oliver.**


	4. The Save

**Merry Christmas Eve! Just wanted to get this chapter up before I dig into some Christmas goodies. This chapter killed me guys. I went back and forth on it for days, but finally settled on something I am semi happy with. Hope you enjoy it!**

Felicity groaned as Thea pulled her into another store. Never in a million years would she have thought she'd be shopping with Ms. Thea Queen herself, and now she wished she never would have volunteered. The young woman was a damn Tasmanian devil on a mission. They had only been shopping for half an hour and had already breezed through the top half of the mall. If they kept up this pace, Felicity wasn't going to need her nightly spin class.

Felicity breathed a sigh of relief when Thea let go of her hand so that she could tear through the racks at a quicker pace. Stepping back slightly, Felicity watched from the corner of her eye as Oliver wandered around the store, looking but not really seeing much of anything. He was, in truth, the only reason Felicity had agreed to this adventure. It was the first Christmas without Tommy, and Felicity had recognized the change in Oliver's mood weeks ago. It wasn't that he was more testy or short with her or Dig, it was the way he would stare off sometimes. Felicity could only hope that in those moments he was replaying the good times with Tommy, instead of remembering the way his best friend's body had fallen limp in his arms the night the Glades fell.

"What about this, Ollie?" Thea said, holding up a light beige cashmere sweater.

Oliver blinked, as if planting himself back in the present, and cocked his head to the side. "Doesn't mom have that?"

Thea rolled her eyes. "She has a pink one Ollie, not beige!" Turning to Felicity, Thea smiled wide, "And this is why I brought you. What do you think?"

"Well, it would look great with her complexion." Felicity said as she reached out and rubbed the soft sweater between her fingers. "Plus, you can never have too much cashmere."

Thea squealed. "You are so right! Ok, I'm going to pay for this and then we can start looking for Roy's gift."

Felicity shook her head as she watched Thea prance to the cash register before turning her attention to Oliver. A small smile crossed his face as he ushered her out of the store to wait for Thea.

"I wanted to thank you for coming. You know you didn't have to."

Felicity shrugged. "This is fun. I may not celebrate Christmas, but that doesn't mean that I don't like seeing other people celebrate it. I actually had a roommate at MIT who drug me to the mall each year to go Christmas shopping. I always had a good time."

Felicity flicked her gaze back to the store to see Thea still at the register and cleared her throat slightly, "Plus, I know this is a hard time for you, with it being the first Christmas without Tommy"

Oliver's eyes snapped to hers and Felicity wandered if she had crossed the line. As far as topics went, Tommy was pretty much off the table when it came to conversations. She didn't want Oliver to pour out his heart to her or cry on her shoulder though. All she really wanted was for him to know that she was there for him, whether he needed her or not.

"It always amazes me at how well you seem to know me," Oliver said as he reached out to take Felicity's hand. He gave it a squeeze before he let it fall back to her side and Felicity instantly squeezed her hand together, hoping to retain the warmth of Oliver's hand against hers.

"Alright!" Thea said as she marched out of the store. "Mom was the hardest so the rest should be quick and easy."

"Quick and easy, just how I like it," Felicity said, before smacking a palm to her forward. "Oh God…"

Thea fell forward into a fit of laughter as Felicity's face grew red. Oliver shook his head with a small smile, "Good to know."

"Why don't you and Felicity get us a table at the food court, Ollie. I'm just going to head a few stores down to that little boutique to see if I can grab something I saw earlier. I'll meet you both in a few." Thea turned on her heel and strode away before Oliver or Felicity could get a word in.

"I guess we're going to the food court."

"You know, she's pretty bossy for someone who is so little." Oliver laughed as he placed his hand on Felicity's back to lead her through the mall crowds. She tried not to notice the way his thumb was making small circles against her back or the way his hand slipped from her back to around her waist when the crowds became thick. She held back a shudder when the hand around her waist slipped down to her hip to pull her closer, Oliver's thumb rubbing slightly over her hip bone.

Felicity stopped short when she saw the crowds at the food court. "We are so never going to find a seat," she said with a groan. Time had slipped away from her and she realized just how hungry she was. Her hand pressed against her stomach to hold back the growl that was fast approaching.

"Let me walk around to see if I can snag a table."

Felicity took in the scenery as Oliver left. The entire mall was humming with people, most walking briskly with bags loaded on each arm. The line to sit on Santa's lap was 50 parents and children long and Felicity watched as child after child left the big man's lap in tears. That was one Christmas tradition she was glad she never had to be a part of. Felicity's gaze rose upwards to the second floor that they had been on earlier in the morning, but she stopped when she saw a rustling under the giant Christmas tree. She squinted to get a better look, but couldn't find anything among the lights and ornaments.

Felicity caught Oliver waving at her from the corner of her eye and began weaving her way towards him. She was almost to Oliver when a glint caught her eye. She looked back towards the tree, her eyes widening on the man with the rifle hidden beneath the foliage. She froze as the recognition of the weapon set in, then threw herself at Oliver, knocking him to the ground just as the first round of gunshots rang out.

Felicity clung to Oliver, finding that somehow he had flipped them over so that he was now covering her. Felicity tried to focus on her breathing, but she was finding it harder with each passing moment. When all that could be heard were the screams of the other shoppers, Oliver hauled Felicity to her feet and pushed her into the nearest store. Felicity stumbled into the store, clumsily falling to the ground and curling into a ball under a rack of clothes. A shot of pain in her right side made her whimper, and her hand instinctively slipped to the offending area. The slick wetness against her fingers made her vision tunnel, but she bit down on her lip to keep quiet.

"The shooting has stopped. He's either reloading or trying to get out of the mall." Oliver said as he peered out the front of the store. "Are you alright?" Oliver said as he ducked under the clothing rack to look at her.

Felicity nodded her head. "You need to get to Thea." She bit down harder on her lip to control the trembling that was threatening to take over her body.

Oliver's gaze ran over her body and Felicity held her breath, hoping her position had hidden her wound from him. The last thing she wanted was Oliver having to choose between her and Thea. She was safe now, but Thea might not be. "Stay here."

Before Felicity could respond Oliver was out the door. She waited to her the ring of a gunshot and thanked God when it never came. Trembling, she pulled her coat tighter around her, grimacing at the pull against her side. She didn't dare look at it, but knew without seeing it that she had been shot. Clutching her coat tighter against her, Felicity drew in a deep breath and waited.

Oliver flew through the mall towards the boutique where Thea had been. The mall was frantic by this point, filled with screams and shoppers running for their lives, their shopping bags forgotten behind on the floor.

"Thea!" Oliver yelled as he barreled into the store. Several women screamed as he stormed in, cowering further into their corners. "Thea!" he yelled again as he moved farther into the store.

"Ollie?" Oliver breathed a sigh of relief as Thea untangled herself from an older lady's embrace. She flew into his open arms.

"Are you alright?" he asked, peeling her off of him to give her a once over. She nodded, and he pulled her close to him as the tears filled her eyes. "It's ok," he murmured into her ear as sobs shook her body.

"Sir?" Oliver turned to see the older woman that Thea had been hiding with.

"Thank you for keeping her safe," Oliver said as he placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. Her wide eyes made him pull his hand back immediately.

"Sir, you're hurt." She said, pointing to his side. Oliver looked down to see the blood stain on his shirt and his entire body instantly went numb.

"Oh my God, Ollie!" Thea screamed as she pressed her hands to his side but Oliver was already backing away from her. "Ollie?"

Oliver just shook his head. How could he have missed it? Why hadn't she said anything? The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"It's not me. It's Felicity."

"Oh my God…"

Oliver grabbed Thea's hand and sprinted out of the store before she could say anything else. Somewhere in the back of his mind it registered to him that the shooter might still be around, waiting to pick off those who thought the shooting was over, but all rational thought had left him by this point. He pulled Thea into the store he had left Felicity and ran straight towards her slumped form.

"Felicity?" Oliver hands flew to her face, trying to ignore the pale color of her skin and how cold it felt to his touch.

"Oliver?"

"I'm here." He said as he pulled his phone from his pocket. He threw it to Thea, who was looking down at Felicity with tears streaming down her cheeks. "By now the police are probably here, but tell them we need an ambulance. Right now."

Thea didn't move. Her gaze was frozen on Felicity's pale form. "Thea!" Oliver shouted, snapping Thea into action.

"Just hang on Felicity. I'm going to get you out of here." Felicity whimpered as his hand trailed down to her injured side. "Let me look." Oliver slowly peeled back the coat revealing the wound. He cursed under his breath as he realized it was more than a simple graze.

Felicity's hand found his cheek somehow and he turned his head into it. "I didn't want to make you have to choose."

Oliver's eyes fell shut at her words. How much more selfless could this woman be? She had given up her way of life to be a part of his team. She spent countless hours under ground in a dark basement. She defended him against all odds. Not once had Felicity ever asked him to do anything for her, other than to believe in himself, and yet here she was once again sacrificing herself for his own good.

Ignoring her cry, Oliver hauled Felicity into his arms as gently as he could. "Stay with me ok?" he said, brushing his lips against her forehead. She trembled violently in his arms and Oliver held her tighter to his chest, willing his own warmth upon her. "Stay with me."

Felicity blinked against the bright light. Stay away from the light Felicity, she told herself, but a warm voice was begging her to stay. She blinked again, trying to find the source, when suddenly the light was blocked out by a figure.

"Oliver," she breathed.

"Hey," he said, a shaky hand coming to rest against her cheek.

"Is Christmas shopping in Starling City always this exciting?" Oliver's worried eyes told her that her lighthearted babble wouldn't help much right now. She winced as she shifted, grimacing against the pull in her side.

"Try not to move too much. You only needed a few stitches, but it was a through and through, so you've got them on your back as well."

"Right," Felicity said as she let out a breath. "Moving is bad, got it."

She watched as Oliver drew his brows together, the all too familiar furrow appearing across his forehead. Gingerly, Felicity brought her fingers to his forehead. "So serious," she said as her fingers tried to stroke away his worry.

"You took a bullet for me today, Felicity." Oliver pulled her hand away from his face, holding it in both of his hands tightly.

"You take bullets for people all the time. And knife wounds." She countered.

"It's not the same," he whispered.

"Why?"

Oliver blew out a breath, his gaze falling to the hand still clutched between his. "Tell me why Oliver."

"I'm living on borrowed time. I was never supposed to survive the Gambit. I never should have made it off the island. I don't need anyone risking their life for mine. My life isn't worth it."

Felicity pulled her hand from his grasp. "Get out."

"Wh-what?" Oliver stammered, clearly confused.

"If that's how you feel, if that's the way you think, after everything…then you need to get out." Felicity fought against the tears that were filling her eyes. She fought against the ache in her chest, pushing back against the emotions that were threatening to reveal themselves.

"Felicity…"

"How dare you," she said as the tears began to tumble down her cheeks. "Do you even realize what you're saying? Do you even care what you're death would do to your family? To me?"

"I'm sorry, I…"

"You really don't get it do you? You don't see the way your mother smiles at you. Or how Thea's face lights up when you walk in. You are so blinded by your past that you refuse to see what is standing right in front of you." Felicity bit her lip as the last words tumbled out of her mouth. There was no denying the hidden meaning behind those words, but she couldn't hold them back any longer.

Oliver's hand found hers and tugged it into his chest. He held it tight until Felicity finally turned her gaze to him. She didn't care how she looked anymore. She didn't care if he saw the pain in her eyes and the hurt in her tears.

"And how do you think I'd feel if I lost you?"

Felicity blinked against the tears that had blurred her vision. That was not the response she was expecting.

"I'm sorry that I'm not better with my words. I know I don't convey myself well, but I didn't mean to say that I didn't care about the effect my death would have on my family. Or on you." Felicity's breath hitched as Oliver's lips grazed over her knuckles. "But do you have any idea what it would do to me if you were killed because of me?"

Felicity's head hurt, and she wasn't sure if it was from the pain medication or the words coming out of Oliver's mouth. They were friends, partners even, so of course he would be upset if something happened to her. Oliver's words made it all sound different though. She balked at the thought of Oliver Queen caring for her in any other way than a friend.

"I don't understand," she said, still trying to wrap her head around his words. The feel of Oliver's lips against hers chased away any and all confusion.


	5. The Save That Saved His Soul

**Ok people, here it is…the final chapter! This one will be without a doubt the most angsty, drama filled chapter out of the bunch, but that's how it should be! The way Felicity saves Oliver in this final chapter is different than all the others, which you will see as you read through it! I hope you enjoy it, and thanks again so much for all the reviews and love on this little story!**

Oliver wasn't sure when it happened. Maybe it was the first inappropriate ramble, or the first time she dismissed one of his stories as a lie, or maybe it was the first time they stood nose to nose locked in a heated discussion. Whenever or whatever it was, Oliver Queen had fallen in love with Felicity Smoak. He had tried not to. Lord knows he had tried so hard not to. It was wrong, he knew, to subject her to his life. To bring her into the danger that he faced each and every day, knowing very well that she could be hurt or worse, killed. But Oliver also knew that Felicity was loyal, and as soon as he had revealed the truth of his identity to her, he knew that she would never turn away from him. That was one of the reasons why he had ultimately brought her in. Someone that faithful, that smart, and that remarkable, could only be an asset to his mission.

And she was. But she was also so much more. What began as a simple friendship had somehow become a dependence. He looked back to the previous year when he had done everything alone and couldn't fathom going back to that. Diggle was his brother in battle but Felicity was more than a partner. Before all he had seen were names, all he had cared about was crossing them off the list, but Felicity had proved to him that he could be more.

When all he knew was kill or be killed, she showed him that there was another way.  
When he thought he was nothing but a monster, she showed him he was a hero.  
When he was lost in his darkness, she pulled him out with her light.

She proved to him day after day, that there was more to this life than names, lists and mission. She had proved to him that he deserved better and in the end, he believed her. Felicity Smoak had saved him, not just from criminals, police or crazy ex-girlfriends. No, Felicity Smoak had saved him from the darkness in his heart. She had saved him from the reality of his past and showed him the possibility of a future. She had saved him from the self-doubt, the internal demons, and self-deprecating thoughts. Felicity Smoak had saved Oliver Queen, and not just part of him. She had saved every part of him, from the Ollie that his family knew to the Mr. Queen his business partners knew to the vigilante that everyone only thought they knew.

But now, she was gone, and he had no idea why. After their kiss in the hospital, not much had changed, at least not to those on the outside. His heart however, had exploded the moment their lips had met. The fear he held in his heart over losing her melted away to the warmth of her lips. The love he had for her bubbled over when he pulled back and watched her lips curl into a small smile. He had spent the following days with her in her apartment, helping her get adjusted, holding her at night when she slept, and watching her wake in the morning.

In was the happiest he could ever remember himself being, and then one day it all fell away. He had arrived at Queen Consolidated to find her desk empty and a note from her, resigning her position and requesting a transfer back down to the IT department. He had traveled down the 18 floors in a hurry, only to be told that she had taken the entire week off due to illness. He tried calling her every 30 minutes, even excusing himself from meetings throughout the day, only to be met with her voicemail. The Foundry was just as empty when he arrived later that evening and it took everything he had not to barge through her apartment door looking for her. Diggle had assured him that he had spoken to her and that all she had said was that she needed a break. Ok, a break he could handle, but what he couldn't grasp was why she hadn't come to him. It was as if she was hiding from him or worse, pulling away from him completely. But why?

The week drug on and no matter what Oliver did, he couldn't get his mind off of Felicity. He dreamt of her smile and her vibrant colored lips. He felt her next to him in his bed, even though she had never occupied it. He found himself in her favorite coffee shop each and every morning, praying that she would be there as well. He stared at her empty desk at work and sat in her empty chair in the lair. It had been a week without a word from her, and his resolve was crumbling. Digg told him to stay away. He said Felicity had begged them to give her some time, but Oliver had given her a week, and the truth was that he couldn't take anymore. He needed to see her. He needed to feel her skin under his fingertips and her breath against his cheek. He needed to kiss the pulse in her neck and know she was safe. Not knowing what was going on was slowly driving him insane.

Oliver didn't hesitate when he approached Felicity's door. Using the key she had given him last week, he entered the apartment quietly, still slightly unsure of what he was going to say to her. He found her standing in the kitchen, her back to him, clutching a mug of tea judging from the tea kettle still sitting on the stove.

"Felicity?" She jumped, her mug dropping to the floor and shattering. Oliver would have laughed had it not been for her trembling hands and fear filled eyes. He took a step closer to her, freezing mid step when he noticed the bruise that was fading beneath her eye. A bruise that from the look of it had been around for about a week.

Everything slowly began to fall into place. The unexpected time off, the sudden avoidance, the bruise…Oliver found himself squeezing his eyes shut and tightening his hands into fists at his side, trying to control his rage. When he finally opened his eyes again, Felicity was bent down in front of him picking up shattered pieces of her mug. Oliver slowly lowered himself to her level, his hands coming to rest on her arms. He gently coaxed her to stand, taking the broken pieces of glass from her still trembling hands and tossing them into the sink.

Felicity's eyes were downcast, and Oliver brought his hands up to her face, gently cupping it in his hands to tilt her head up. He tried not to focus on the bruise, but his thumb found it, and he unconsciously traced it, watching as Felicity's eyes fell closed once more.

"Felicity, talk to me," he pleaded, but she just shook her head. "Please…"

Suddenly, she broke, collapsing into Oliver's arms. Oliver hugged Felicity close, whispering comfort into her ear and stoking his hand through her un-kept hair until nothing but silent tremors ran through her body. Oliver led her to the couch, pulling her onto his lap and draping a blanket over her bare shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Felicity whispered into his chest.

Oliver pulled back from her, forcing her to sit up so that he could look at her face. She scrubbed her hands over her cheeks, wiping away the last of her residual tears.

"Tell me what happened," Oliver said as he took Felicity's hands in his own. "Tell me who it is I need to hunt down for this." He knew his voice had lowered into a growl, but he didn't care. His composure was wavering with each glance at the fading purple and blue bruise.

Felicity took a deep breath. "It was a mugging. I fought back, which earned me a nice accessory," she winced as Oliver's hands tightened around hers. "He took my purse and left, nothing more. Well, other than the shiner."

"Why didn't you call me?" Oliver couldn't hold back the hurt in his voice. Did she think he wouldn't help her? Did she think he wouldn't protect her? The questions twisted in his gut.

"I called Detective Lance. He took my statement and brought me home. The guy was apparently an idiot. He tried to use my credit card two hours later and was arrested. I got my stuff back and he's in jail. There was no need to call you." Felicity was looking down again and Oliver quickly recognized she had been avoiding eye contact since he'd arrived.

"Felicity…" but suddenly Felicity was standing, pacing back and forth in front of the couch.

"I just needed a few days Oliver. I wanted the bruise to heal before I came to you, before I told you."

"You could have let me help you."

Felicity shook her head fiercely. "No. I can't…I can't do this anymore, Oliver."

Oliver's breath caught. She couldn't do this anymore? He had suffered through an entire week without her and could barely manage it, the thought of going through any more without her made him shudder.

"Felicity, please…"

"No!" Felicity shouted, pressing her hands into his chest to stop him from reaching her. "I can't be a liability anymore. I can't be the weak link. I won't be the one to be used against you. I won't add to your guilt, Oliver. I can't do it!" Tears were streaming down her face again and her hands were fisted in his shirt.

Oliver brought his hands up to cover hers, slowly prying her hands from their death grip on his shirt. He searched her face for understanding, but all he saw was pain and worry. "Felicity, I don't understand what you're saying."

"I couldn't even protect myself from a mugger. A low life mugger, Oliver. Not some serial killer, or a trained professional, or genetically altered soldier. He was an idiot who only wanted my purse, and I couldn't protect myself. If I can't protect myself from men like that, then I don't belong on your team." She pulled away from him again to resume her pacing. Oliver stood still as a board, still unsure of what she was getting at.

"You carry everything on your shoulders. Every bad outcome, every injury, every death…it's all your fault even when it isn't. It's what drives me insane and makes me love you all at the same time." Oliver froze at her words, but Felicity wasn't stopping. "I won't add to that guilt. I clearly can't protect myself, which means that one of these days I am bound to get hurt. Even though I know in my heart it will have nothing to do with you, I know that you will still blame yourself. I know that you will still place that burden on your shoulders, and my pain and my choices are not yours to carry Oliver Queen."

Oliver crossed the room and grabbed Felicity before she could make a move to push him away. In his haste to have her in his arms he didn't even bother to be gentle. His lips crashed down on hers and just as the realization of what he was doing struck him he felt Felicity's hands snake around his back and pull him closer. Her fingernails were digging into his back and if he hadn't been so focused on the way her tongue was tracing his lips he might have actually thought it hurt.

"You are the most selfless and remarkable woman I have ever met," Oliver said, still trying to regain his breath. His entire body was coursing with electricity from the way her lips had moved across his and he had to fight the urge to throw her over his shoulder and lock them in her bedroom.

Felicity opened her mouth to speak but Oliver held up a hand, stopping her. "You had your turn, now let me have the floor." Felicity smiled at him slightly before stepping back and sitting on the couch.

Oliver rubbed a hand through his hair, trying to find the right words to make her understand. "Felicity, you are not the weak link, in fact, there is nothing remotely weak about you. You gave purpose to our team. You are smart and tough and loyal. You are the glue that holds us together, that holds me together, and I can't lose that. No, I won't lose that. You are not a liability, Felicity. Yes, being with me makes you a target, but you are not my weakness. You are my rock, my strength, my light at the end of the tunnel. Felicity Smoak you have saved me, over and over day after day, and if you let me, I want to prove to you each day that I am in fact the man that you believe I am. I need you, Felicity, I need you and I have never needed anyone."

By the time Oliver finally chanced a glance at Felicity, all he noticed were the tears. These tears were different from the ones she shed earlier though. Gone was the fear and worry and pain. Instead, her tear filled eyes were light and a small smile was on her lips.

"So, what exactly are you saying?" Felicity asked, standing in front of him once again. Her hands trailed up his chest, sure and steady, before wrapping around his neck.

"I'm saying that I love you." Oliver was surprised at the firmness of his voice with such significant words, but then again, he wasn't surprised at all. This was right, it had always been right, even though it had taken him a while to see it.

"You love me?" Felicity asked, disbelief in her voice. He was ashamed at the doubt in her question. She never should have had to question those words.

"I love you," he repeated, dipping his head down to her ear.

He said it again, hearing the intake of breath as his lips brushed against her ear. He said it again, even when her lips were on his and she was pushing him back into her room. He said it again, even though Felicity was sound asleep in his arms.

Oliver planned to never stop saying those words. Oliver Queen was going to love Felicity Smoak until his last and final breath, and even longer if he was able to.

**Well, that's it! Thanks again for going on this little story journey with me. It's been so much fun!**


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